Adjustable wire frame brassiere



2 Shee"cs-Sheet 1 l I l l Illi.

Feb. 1, 195s.A

Filed Dec. 14. 1955 JNVENTOR. Herman Kress ATTORNEY Feb. l, 1955 H, KRESS ADJUSTABLE WIRE FRAME BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60. 14, 1955 INVENTOR. Herman Kress flld... l l l l l I ATTORNEY United States Patent M ADJUSTABLE WIRE FRAME BRAsslRE Herman Kress, New York, N. Y.

Application December 14, 1953, Serial No. 397,945

11 Claims. (Cl. 242) This invention relates to brassires or a garment having a bust encircling component, and more particularly to a structure which facilitates the attachment and adjustment of a wire frame in a strapless brassire. The subject matter of the present disclosure is a continuation-inpart of my co-pending application, Serial Number 353,392, filed May 6, 1953 (now abandoned).

The use of a wire frame is common in achieving the eiect of a brassire which does not require straps passing over the shoulder to hold the brassire in position to cover and support the bust. This type of foundation garment finds its greatest use when a woman desires to wear a dress, gown, bathing suit, or other garment whose style may be characterized as o the shoulder. The current vogue of such garments places the strapless brassire in great demand.

Unlike the common varity of brassire having shoulder straps which may generally be worn by a woman without change from the condition in which she purchased the garment, a wire frame strapless brassire should, for the greatest comfort and best appearance, be fitted to the individual wearer. This is so because an improper fit of the garment may cause the wire frame and hence the entire garment to have a tendency to stand away from the body of the wearer, thus unsatisfactorily performing its covering and supporting function. Another common eifect of an improper t, just the opposite of the preceding, may be that the wire frame presses into the body of the wearer, making the brassire uncomfortable to wear.

Either of these effects might obtain if a purchaser sought to wear a garment without having it fitted to her, but they may occur as well even after fitting of structures which are available at present. The fitting of such a garment is by no means easy and an unsatisfactory fit often is obtained. Why this should be the case necessitates an explanation of what the fitting process entails.

In the wire frame brassire as manufactured, the wire frame is completely enclosed in the fabric of the garment. The wire frame is continuous and formed into two half loops joined together, with free ends at either side of the frame. Fitting of the brassire is accomplished by fastening down, by sewing or other means, the free ends of the wire frame, so that they will be in xed relationship to the rest of the garment. If the free ends are fastened down too high in the brassire, the standing away from the body effect mentioned above will result; if too low, pressing into the body of the wire frame will result. With conventional wire frames, the free ends terminate in a simple loop through which the fitter must pass a needle to sew down the wire frame in proper position. But, because -the wire frame is completely enclosed in the fabric of the brassire, engaging of the loop at exactly the right position is made extremely difficult, and errors in fitting are by no means rare.

The primary object of this invention is to introduce a structural innovation into wire frame brassires which will assure a proper t to the wearer in every case. In addition it will make the fitting process much simpler. Indeed, by the means here disclosed, the wearer may herself iit the garment and can later without diiculty change the setting if required. Thus the necessity for a fitting by a skilled tter may be eliminated. The attendant saving in time and cost -to both vendor and purchaser is obvious.

Another object is to provide an improved wire frame for a brassire whose use will require no substantial 8 2,700,768 Patented Feb. 1, 1955 ICC change in present day manufacturing practice in assembling such a frame into a brassire.

A further object is to correct the difficulties mentioned in an inexpensive manner, so as not to unduly increase the cost of manufacturing wire frame strapless brassieres.

How these and many other objects are to be implemented will become apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings wherein;

Fig. 1 is a rear view of a rst embodiment of my invention with adjusting means exposed in the left hand portion of the drawing;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the adjusting means in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken at 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a second embodiment of an adjusting means which can be substituted for the rst embodiment in the structure of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a rear view of a brassire structure in which is used a third embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevational view of the embodiment of my adjusting means shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section taken at 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section taken at 8 8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged rear elevation view with cover removed of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

A strapless brassire 10, having breast cup portions 11 and 12, body encircling portions 13 and 14 and lower edge 15 passing beneath the breast cup portions is shown in Figs. 1 and 5 Wire frame 16 is incorporated into the brassire by means of a sleeve 17 formed therein, the wire frame emerging from the sleeve at 18. The wire frame is comprised of two loops 19 and 20, the framework on which breast cup portions 11 and 12 are built. The wire frame is formed from a continuous strip of Wire and has joining piece 21 between loops 17 and 18, and also has free ends 22 and 23.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3 there is a covering piece 24 by way of a pad, which is sewn to the brassire 10 along edge 25 of the covering piece. Covering piece 24 may thus be pivoted into a position in which it overlies the adjusting means, being held in such position when the female portions 26 of snaps mounted on the covering piece, are engaged with male portions 27 of snaps mounted on the brassire proper as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. There is thus interposed between the skin of the wearer and the adjusting means, a comfortable pad, as shown in the right hand portion of Fig. l.

Turning now to the adjusting means proper of Figs. l, 2 and 3, the description thereof will be made with reference to free end 22. (It will be understood that construction at both free ends 22 and 23 is identical.) Free end 22 at its tip is bent to form an eyelet 30. A hook 31 is suspended from eyelet 30 by tape 32. A series of eyes, 33, is sewn into brassire 10, each eye being secured thereto at a different distance from lower edge 15 of the garment. Each of the eyes 33 is capable of being engaged by hook 31, and for engagement with a given eye, loop 19 will assume a position, in which the vertical distance between a point on loop 19 and lower edge 15 will be different from the vertical distance when hook 31 engages a different eye.

A second embodiment of the adjusting means is shown in Fig. 4. lt will be understood that it could be substituted in the brassire 10 shown in Fig. l for the first ernbodiment of an adjusting means there shown. Free end 22 as there shown is externally threaded. The free end 22 is capable of being engaged by internally threaded socket 35. The socket has a knurled region 36 on the exterior thereof, whereby the socket may be easily grasped and rotated. Socket 35 is formed with a channel 37 therein. A collar 38, shown in cross-section in Fig. 4 fits within channel 37, and the socket 35 is freely rotatable with respect thereto. The collar 38 is stitched in fixed position to the brassire by means of stitching 41. Thus, the socket may be rotated with respect to collar 38, and thus more or fewer of threads 34 engaged by socket 35. The resultant effect will be to provide a means for causing variation in the distance between any point on loop 19 and lower edge 15.

A third embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 5-9. Free end 22 of wire frame 16 is mounted within a jacket 42, the jacket 42 being securely held in place upon the free end by friction when clasp portions 43 and 44 of the jacket are bent over and tightly pressed against the material comprising the free end. The jacket 42, as may best be seen in Figs. 6, 8, and 9 is formed from a hat piece of rigid stock, which is bent up on two sides to form blankside 46, and toothed side 47, toothed side 47 having teeth 50.

The jacketed free end 22 fits within receptacle 5l., being movable vertically with respect thereto. Receptacle 51 is formed with a flange 52 at its lower end in which are holes 52 through which threads or other fastening means may be passed to attach receptacle 51 securely in place on brassire 10. The jacketed free end may be moved up or down to a desired position, at which position it is locked into place by a tooth engaging means which in the embodiment illustrated is a spring lever S4 havingy tooth engaging protuberance 55. Lever 54 is riveted to receptacle 51 at 56. The resting position for lever 54 is in engagement with teeth 50. However, by depressing lever 54, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7, and holding it depressed, the lever may be disengaged from the teeth. the jacketed free end moved either up or down to the desired position, and the lever released. When released, the lever 54 will resume its position in engagement with the teeth, as shown in Fig. 9.

While I have described my invention as embodied in three structures, it is apparent that other embodiments may be devised, and modifications made in the embodi* ments shown without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge. a plurality of series of hook engaging means mounted on said garment, and breast cups, each cap having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a wire frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, said arcuate portions having free lower ends spaced from said bottom edge, and hooks attached to each of said free ends, for releasably engaging any of said hook engaging means in one of said series, whereby the vertical spacing between said arcuate portions and said bottom edge may be adjustably fixed.

2. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge, a plurality of series of eyes mounted on said garment, and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a wire frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, said arcuate portions having free lower ends spaced from said bottom edge, and a hook attached to each of said free ends for releasably engaging any of said eyes in one of said series, whereby `the vertical spacing between said arcuate portions and said bottom edge may be adjustably fixed.

3. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge, a plurality of internally threaded sockets, each of said sockets having a circumferential channel in the external surface thereof and a collar within said channel, said collar being mounted on said garment by mounting means in such manner that said socket is freely rotatable within said collar, and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a wire frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, said arcuate portions having externally threaded free ends spaced from said bottom edge, each of said sockets being rotatable to engage more or fewer of the threads on said free ends whereby the vertical spacing between said arcuate portions and said bottom edge may be adjustably fixed.

4. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge, engaging means mounted on said garment, and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a wire frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally in corporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, said arcuate portions having free ends spaced from said bottom edge, a plurality of jackets each having a row of teeth thereon, one of said jackets being mounted on each of said free ends in such manner that said row of teeth extends along that one of said free ends on which such jacket is mounted, the said teeth on each of said jackets being releasably engageable at a variety of positions by said engaging means, whereby the vertical spacing between said arcutte dportions and said bottom edge may be adjustably 5. In a bust encircling garment having a plurality 0f receptacles mounted on said garment, a bottom edge, and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a wire frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, said arcuate portions having free ends spaced from said bottom edge, a plurality of jackets each having a row of teeth thereon, one of said jackets being mounted on each of said free ends in such manner that said row of teeth extends along that one of said free ends on which such jacket is mounted, each of said free ends having jackets mounted thereon being receivable in one of said receptacles, and tooth engaging means within each of said receptacles for releasably engaging said teeth at a variety of positions whereby the vertical spacing between said arcuate portions and said bottom edge may be adjustably fixed.

6. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a wire frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, said arcuate portions having free lower ends spaced from said bottom edge, vertical adjusting means mounted on said garment immediately below said free lower ends, and means on said free ends releasably engaging said adjusting means, whereby those portions of said garment within which said arcuate portions are incorporated may be made to assume the position proximate to the body for a proper t of said garment to the individual wearer.

7. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a wire frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, said arcuate portions having free lower ends spaced from said bottom edge, a pair of sockets mounted on said garment immediately below said wire frame ends, and means on said free ends releasably lockable within said sockets, whereby those portions of said garment within which said arcuate portions are incorporated may be made to assume the position proximate to the body for a proper t of said garment to the individual wearer.

8. In a bust encircling garment having manually operable wire engaging means mounted thereon, a bottom edge, and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a wire frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, each of said arcuate portions having a free lower end spaced from said bottom edge, and fastening means attached to said free ends engageable at a plurality of positions by said manually operable engaging means, the extent of engagement therebetween being initially manually determinable and therefore self-sustaining, whereby those portions of said garment within which said arcuate portions are incorporated may be made to assume the position proximate to the body for a proper it of said garment to the individual wearer.

9. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, a first means on said frame for cooperating with a second means mounted on said garment, said tirst means comprising a member having external threads thereon, said member being attached to said frame, and said second means comprising a freely rotatable internally threaded sleeve mounted on said garment by attaching means, which sleeve may be rotated to engage more or fewer of said threads on said tirst means, whereby those portions of said garment within which said arcuate portions are incorporated may be made to assume the position proximate to the body for a proper iit of said garment to the individual wearer.

10. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge, notch engaging means iixedly mounted on said garment, and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a frame with vertically disposed free ends having upwardly disposed arcuate portions spaced from said bottom edge, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, a plurality of notches on said frame adjacent to each of said free ends for vari-positional eugagement with said notch engaging means, whereby the vertical spacing between said arcuate portions and said bottom edge may be adjustably fixed.

1l. In a bust encircling garment having a bottom edge, notch engaging means tixedly mounted on said garment, and breast cups, each cup having an upwardly disposed arcuate edge, a frame having upwardly disposed arcuate portions spaced from said bottom edge, each of said portions being peripherally incorporated within one of said cups substantially at said arcuate edge, vertically disposed members having a plurality of notches on each thereof attached to said frame for vari-positional engagement with said notch engaging means, whereby the vertical spacing between said arcuate portions and said bottom edge may be adjustably fixed.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,741,898 Woltstem Dec. 31, 1929 1,762,676 Woltstem June 10, 1930 2,193,551 Cohen Mar. 12, 1940 2,282,410 Roseman May l2, 1942 2,454,154 Glick Nov. 16, 1948 2,559,294 Goddard July 3, 1951 

